U.S.-Thai Scientific Efforts Peg Guava's
Nutritional Value

A cooperative study by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Thai scientists has shown that
guava fruit is high in antioxidantsadding it to the list of other
antioxidant-rich foods such as blueberries, black beans and broccoli.

Because tropical fruits aren't usually grown in cooler U.S. climates,
little information about their nutritional valueespecially of that of the
more "exotic" specieshas been developed. But South Florida growers are
beginning to produce guava, carambola, pitaya, mamey sapote, sapodilla, lychee,
longan, mango and papaya to meet rising consumer demand for unusual fruits.

Fruits and vegetables play a significant role in the human diet
because they provide an optimal mix of antioxidants such as vitamins C and E,
polyphenols, carotenoids and complex carbohydrates. Antioxidants are plant
chemicals that have the power to neutralize free radicals, toxic compounds
generated inside the human body and also found in pollutants like cigarette
smoke. Getting rid of these damaging compounds can help improve human health,
since free radicals cause oxidative damage to human cells that can trigger
various chronic diseases.

In the study, guava's antioxidant content ranked just below that of
blueberries, which is No. 1 in antioxidant activity. Other fruits ranking
surprisingly high were carambola, lychee, mango and papaya.